How do I include students with disabilities and facilitate their success in a CTE course? Employers hire individuals with disabilities every day and accommodate their needs using helpful resources such as the Job Accommodation Network (JAN). If they can do it, you can too! This session will introduce participants to this useful tool of real-world, industry-specific accommodations that can be used to prepare students with disabilities for successful completion of CTE programs.

How does the school counselor work with all students to prepare them for careers and post–high school options? If the counselor isn’t a “required” IEP member, then why is it important the counselor is part of the process? We will discuss how the IEP team and school counselor should work together for students’ post–high school readiness. Participants will compare IEP transition requirements and the Arizona ECAP (Education Career Action Plan) with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) competencies for working with students with disabilities. Participants will reflect on and share their current practices for assisting all students in meeting their postsecondary goals.

Recruiting speech, occupational, and physical therapists is challenging. Come learn strategies specific to the recruitment of these professionals from the Community of Practice dedicated to this issue.

Participants will explore the early childhood education assessment system and understand how to utilize data to inform instruction. In addition, participants will build an understanding of how AZ DASH can be used to see various levels of data to prepare conversations on school readiness, instruction, intervention, and implementation.

Participants will learn about the three formal systems available under the IDEA for schools and parents of children with disabilities to resolve special education–related disputes: mediation, due process hearings, and state administrative complaints. Experienced mediators, administrative law judges, and complaint investigators will discuss the top 10 things they wish parents and schools entering into formal dispute resolution knew and will engage in a panel discussion about how each dispute resolution system can be utilized to resolve a variety of tricky situations.

Join a panel of experts to discuss successful student reentry from secure care facilities back into public schools. The panel will consist of public school administrators, secure care administrators, and secure care special education directors. See how school districts and secure care staff are working hand-in-hand to ensure successful reentry for special education students coming out of correctional facilities.

Assistive technology has changed so much over the last ten years. AT was once considered a potential “budget buster,” with devices and software that ran into the thousands of dollars. Today, some of the best AT solutions out there are actually FREE. The only problem is, your teachers and therapists don’t know about them. Come to this session and see the latest and greatest free AT solutions and resources out there.

This session will provide an overview of funds available under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to local/public education agencies serving students with disabilities. The session will cover the allocation process and the ADE Grants Management system, as well as the purpose and allowable uses of the funds. Included in the presentation will be discussion on maintenance of effort (MOE) requirements, including the new MOE database, the option for using a portion of the funds for coordinated early intervening services (CEIS), and the requirement for districts to spend a proportionate share of their IDEA funds on students with disabilities who are parentally placed in private schools and home-schooled students living within their boundaries. An overview of the required components of the annual completion report will also be included in the session.

Consistently poor outcomes for Students with Disabilities have led to the implementation of new measures – one being Results-Driven Accountability – in an effort to impact academic achievement for this group. Specialized services and accommodations alone have not proven to be sufficient in addressing these shortcomings. The potential for improvement lies in a more comprehensive approach with a shift in focus to instructional accessibility within the general education setting. This session will focus on the structures, methods, and tools that provide greater access to grade level content for the broad range of background, abilities, and interests represented in a typical classroom.

Arizona has embarked on a journey to enhance integrated employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. AZ JOBS, Arizona’s statewide Employment First initiative, supports the belief that employment, including supported employment, should be the primary day activity for working-age adults with disabilities. Research shows that people who work have a higher quality of life and greater community participation and are more likely to make their own choices about how they live their lives. Presenters will discuss the Arizona Employment First Strategic Plan and the progress that has been made to date on this initiative. This session will highlight how the goals and key directions of the Employment First plan will impact educators, employers, students, and families and employment service providers. There will be opportunity for audience discussion.